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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23251483">Empty closets and broke hearts</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/march_flowers/pseuds/march_flowers'>march_flowers</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stray Kids (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Break Up, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Heartbreak, Hwang Hyunjin is a Sweetheart, M/M, Mentioned Bang Chan, Sad Seo Changbin, changbin's hurting and so are seungjin, kind of</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 16:13:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,367</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23251483</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/march_flowers/pseuds/march_flowers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Changbin and Chan's relationship has been going on for quite some time, nearly a year. Today Changbin finally got to get off work early, and he plans on spending the rest of it at home with his boyfriend, playing games or watching movies to relax.</p><p>But things don't go quite as planned.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bang Chan/Seo Changbin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>50</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Empty closets and broke hearts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em><strong>Bzzz</strong></em>.<br/>
<br/>
<em><strong>Bzzz</strong></em>.<br/>
<br/>
<em><strong>Bzzz</strong></em>.<br/>
<br/>
A constant buzzing from Hyunjin's phone gained his attention, his hand blindly reaching for the device before the tall boy's eyes read <em>Changbinnie hyung is calling...</em> on the blinding screen. He paused the movie, much to Seungmin's dismay if the groan had anything to indicate, but what he heard on the other end before he could even get out a simple hello had him rushing to get his shoes.<br/>
<br/>
"We need to go. <em>Now</em>."<br/>
<br/>
-<br/>
<br/>
Changbin had gotten off work a little early today, and what would be a better way to spend this time than head home and spend some time with his boyfriend? Nothing could top the perfect sounding plan in his mind.<br/>
<br/>
He turned the locks and stepped inside, sliding off his shoes at the door before making his way further into the shared apartment. "Channie, I'm back early!" He called out, but there was no response. "Chan?"<br/>
<br/>
Something felt.. Wrong. Oh so wrong. Just to be sure Chan wasn't holed up in their room with his headphones on, he walked into the bedroom only to see the closet doors and dresser open, glaring, empty spaces staring back at him that made him feel sick. A quick glance around the room revealed that all of Chan's things were gone.<br/>
<br/>
He felt dizzy. His heart was starting to race, palms sweating as he checked the other rooms in the apartment as well. The bedroom, bathroom- hell, even the linen closet was checked. <em>Gone</em>. Almost every single item in the apartment that belonged to Chan was gone. It was only when he got to the counter that he saw the note, and the photo.<br/>
<br/>
His hands were trembling, his mind scrambled and hurting as he tried to comprehend whatever the hell was happening as he willed his hands to still just enough so he could read the note.<br/>
<br/>
<em>Bibi,<br/>
<br/>
I can't imagine how much you must be hurting by the time you read this note. God, I'm such an idiot for doing this to you.. I never meant to grow cold toward you in these last couple of weeks- all you wanted was my attention, but I was so wrapped up in my own feelings that I neglected yours and shut you out, and that's something that I wish I could take back.<br/>
<br/>
You've been nothing but amazing and understanding, and I just want you to know how much I loved you. The reason my stuff is gone is that I'm going back to Australia. My company opened a new branch close to my hometown, and the news had me feeling more homesick than ever, and I told my boss that I'd make the move and work from there. I should have told you.<br/>
<br/>
I won't ask you for your forgiveness, but the one thing I'll ask of you right now is this: find somebody better. Find someone better than me that'll work through challenges with you instead of tuck tail and leave.<br/>
<br/>
I just.. Can't do the distance, and it feels wrong to continue something that I don't feel anything in. You were amazing, and I truly hope that you can find someone that'll make you happy.<br/>
<br/>
I love you. I'm sorry,<br/>
<br/>
Your koala, Chan</em><br/>
<br/>
Changbin's heart shattered.<br/>
<br/>
"No, no no no this-" Tears he tried to hold back while reading broke free and streamed down his cheeks without cease, the trembling in his hands returning as he quickly set aside the note. "He can't-" It was only then he noticed the framed photo.<br/>
<br/>
His shock flared into anger, white hot and making him feel like he was burning, the photo of their smiling faces and the happy glow around them you could practically see making him shove it off the counter, the sound if glass shattering at it flew to the floor following quickly after.<br/>
<br/>
Changbin wasn't much of a loud crier. He tried to keep it hidden with hardened gazes and quick wipes at his eyes with his hands or sleeves, but now he was wailing as his heart just broke more, cursing everything that got him here. His face was hot and his legs felt like jelly, stumbling his way to the couch as he tried to open his phone and calm his cries enough to talk to the number he called.<br/>
<br/>
Hyunjin.<br/>
<br/>
There was barely an answer on the other end before the words just fell out, choked fragments of sentences that tried to come out all at once. Changbin never called someone like this, so just hearing how devastated he was had the younger boy rushing over to the apartment as quickly as he could.<br/>
<br/>
It wasn't long before Hyunjin let himself in, hurrying over to wrap up the shorter male in his arms and squeeze him tight in hopes to try and hold him together. Seungmin came in right behind, brows furrowed in worry as he looked up at Hyunjin with a deep frown.<br/>
<br/>
Changbin cried into Hyunjin's chest, shoulders trembling and hands gripping onto him like he'd leave too if he let him go. The taller rocked him slowly, a hand rubbing against his back in gentle sweeps, the other cradling the back of his head. "I've got you.." He murmurs, watching as Seungmin gingerly picked up the broken frame from the floor, then the note as well.<br/>
<br/>
Hyunjin watched his expression sour and sadden as his eyes scanned over the letter, watching him sigh as he set them aside before going to sweep up the glass and toss it away.<br/>
<br/>
"A-April fools came a little early this year, he- he's just pranking me, right..? It's j-just a sick joke," Changbin mumbled, but deep down he knew the truth. Chan wasn't coming back. "He can't.. do this.."<br/>
<br/>
Seungmin stepped up and walked the two over to the couch, smushing Changbin between them as they settled and tried to comfort him. They each held one if his hands between their own, his head laying against Hyunjin's shoulder and Seungmin's against Changbin's.<br/>
<br/>
Hyunjin murmured soft words to Changbin, shifting to wrap an arm around him and card his fingers through his hair while the other hand kept Changbin's held tightly in the other.<br/>
<br/>
He seemed to deflate after a while, all the tears he shed draining him of almost, if not all his energy.<br/>
<br/>
"He should've told you when he got the news," The youngest started. "Not let.. this," he gestured to themselves weakly with one of his hands, "happen." Hyunjin nodded in agreement.<br/>
<br/>
Changbin just whined softly, closing his eyes and squeezing their hands tight. "He meant so much to me.." He mumbled, voice thick with heartbreak and pain. "I just.. can't believe he left me. Like this, too.. Who just packs up their stuff and leaves?"<br/>
<br/>
The other two share a glance and sigh, holding him a little tighter. "I don't know, hyung.. And I know it hurts, but you have us here to keep you on your feet." Hyunjin replied, Seungmin making a soft hum of agreement, and Changbin smiled just a little.<br/>
<br/>
"What would I do without you both?" He says with a weak laugh, but it certainly did lighten the mood. Seungmin smiled softly, rubbing his thumb against the back of Changbin's hand. "I dunno, but you aren't getting rid of us anytime soon." Hyunjin laughed too, nodding along with him. "Yep, you're stuck with us for a while."<br/>
<br/>
"Wouldn't want it any other way." Changbin replies, pulling them both closer.<br/>
<br/>
"Thank you." He says softly.<br/>
<br/>
"You don't need to thank us, we'll be here for you through all the ups and downs." Seungmin's voice.<br/>
<br/>
"We'd be crazy if we weren't here to help." Hyunjin. "Do you want us to stay here? Or do you want to come stay with us for a while?"<br/>
<br/>
Changbin pondered it for a moment, turning his head a little to look around the apartment. "With you both. At least for tonight."<br/>
<br/>
"Then consider it done. We'll order some take-out and you can watch some movies with us." Hyunjin ruffled his hair gently, earning a grumble from Changbin that got them all laughing.<br/>
<br/>
Really, what would he do without these two?<br/>
<br/>
He wouldn't trade them for the world.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thanks for reading! i got the idea for this at around,,, 4am the morning this was posted, so i apolgize if anything seems scrambled or jumbled together.</p><p>i wanted to write something kind of sad, and this seemed to do the trick.</p><p>changbin's a rapper (spearB) so the nickname that chan gave him, bibi, derives from that, and chan's nickname, koala, came from his more clingy tendencies. everyone knew them as "bibi and his koala"</p></blockquote></div></div>
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